As I go into Cartmell Elementary this month and in January, the students will be given information about the proper way to research and present a speech or a demonstration.

In February each student will present their speech or demonstration in front of their classmates and community members who volunteer to judge their presentations. If they receive a blue ribbon, they will have the opportunity to continue to the county level and, from there, on to the district and state level.

Since many of you have told me you wished you could create something special for your holiday table, I have planned a special holiday arrangement class from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m., Monday, Dec. 9, at the Extension office.

Hav-ing it later in the afternoon may give more of you working outside the home a chance to take this class.

You may know Sharon Graves of Ghent to be a local artist. She possesses many other talents – including being a certified florist. She will teach us to make a beautiful holiday arrangement.

As we move into the winter months, we move into the hay feeding period for our livestock. Regard-less of the livestock species, it is normal to expect hay loss during feeding. However, if hay is stored and fed properly, hay loss can be minimized.

Working for the Cooperative Extension Service is a dream job for me. Each day brings something different and exciting—an insect to identify, a farm to visit, eggs to incubate, or some agricultural “mystery” to solve.

I was fortunate to know Extension before I ever got this job because I grew up in it, but not all young people thinking about a career in Extension have that type of experience. Therefore, the University of Kentucky Extension Summer Intern Program is just the ticket to get hands-on experience in Extension.